Any time of year is a great time to stop into the library, but summer can be an especially happening time as kids are out of school and people want to get out of the house and enjoy a variety of activities. Of course, we’re happy to help with your cabin fever in winter too! In any case, we have some great special programs happening in the month of July that are outside of our regular weekly and monthly offerings. We have programs for children, teens, adults, and for every age. I’ll be highlighting our special programs for adults and some for all ages. Several of these programs were made possible thanks to the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, so we are very grateful for taxpayer support!

We are very excited to be hosting a free recital with The Mirandola Ensemble on Friday, July 11, at 3 p.m. The Mirandola Ensemble is a Minneapolis-based professional choral ensemble that has served multiple years as a Class Notes Artist-in-Residence for Classical Minnesota Public Radio. This recital will feature a cappella choral music from the early American Sacred Harp tradition; traditional German music; and a set all about water and rivers and will include historiological descriptions helping the audience to contextualize the times and places of each piece’s creation. We hope you’ll join us!

We’ve partnered with Communities and Seniors Together (CAST) to welcome talented blues musician Joey Leone and his band for a fun presentation on radio hits of yesteryear. Joey and his band will be presenting and performing at the New Ulm Community Center’s cafetorium on Tuesday, July 15, at 1 p.m. Joey takes an in-depth yet lighthearted look at the songs that came out of our AM radios during the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, including unforgettable songs and one-hit wonders! Joey adds fun facts, musical insights, and personal stories about the music that gave us so many AM radio memories. Thank you to CAST for partnering with the library for this program.

Learn cross-stitch techniques with a folk-art twist! Join Scandinavian enthusiast and artist Cami Andersen at the New Ulm Public Library on Monday, July 21, at 1 p.m. to learn all you need to know to get started on this traditional art form. You will enjoy a short introduction to Scandinavian folk art and history, then create your own bespoke cross-stitch piece with step-by-step instructions. Students will learn how to read a cross-stitch chart to continue the craft on their own after the class. No previous cross-stitch or sewing experience necessary. This is a 2-hour class limited to 12 participants, so registration is required. You can register online at www.newulmlibrary.org, call the library at 507-359-8331, or stop by the library’s circulation desk.

Join us on Saturday, July 26 at 9:30 a.m. for a visit with Comfrey native Dor’y Nicolas as she shares about “Cottonwood Farm,” her new romance novel set in Brown County! Dor’y will talk about her journey as a writer, the inspiration for her book, and she’ll hang around for questions and book signing as well!

New Ulm Public Library is partnering with other area emergency preparedness organizations at New Ulm Night Out in German Park on the evening of Thursday, July 31, to share resources and displays on how to keep you and your loved ones safe before, during, and after a severe weather event. Come check out the emergency vehicles and learn how to keep your family safe!

You can find all the rest of our great activities and programs for the month on our website or drop by the library to grab a paper calendar to post on your fridge. We’ll see you at the library and around town!

The library is located at 17 N. Broadway and is open to the public Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.